Educational institutions adopt Blackboard solution

Jan. 12, 2009
Company's platform offers integrated security, commerce management

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard, a leading provider of educational technology, announced today that a growing number of colleges, universities and K-12 institutions - including private secondary boarding schools Cushing Academy and Phillips Academy, Andover - have selected the Blackboard campus commerce and security management platform. The institutions join hundreds of others that have improved campus safety and the student experience with Blackboard's industry leading campus ID card technology, on- and off-campus payment solutions, facility access control and other security solutions. Some of the organizations that have recently selected the Blackboard commerce and security platform include:

  • Cushing Academy
  • Endicott College
  • Fort Lewis College
  • Jones County Junior College
  • Maine College of Art
  • New York Law School
  • Northwest Nazarene University
  • Phillips Academy, Andover
  • Point Loma Nazarene University
  • Ringling School of Art and Design
  • Shenandoah University
  • Tecnologico de Monterrey
  • University of Arizona
  • Wallace State Community College

"We had a wide range of needs, including the ability to process financial transactions at campus shops, minimize the need for cash at vending and laundry machines, provide door access, manage campus printing in support of our sustainability initiatives, and provide a tool to take and manage student attendance," said Valerie Roman, Director of Technology at Phillips Academy. "We were looking to address these needs with an integrated solution which could be phased in over time. We partnered with Blackboard based on its long track record, solid financial standing, strong customer base, and high customer satisfaction."

With the integrated Blackboard Transact platform, institutions can streamline business operations and increase revenue while meeting a wide range of commerce and security needs. Specifically, the platform enables organizations to:

  • Facilitate campus ID card issuance; on-campus, off-campus and online commerce; cashless payment processing for dining, bookstore, vending, laundry, copy and parking services; financial reporting; self-service account management; and
  • Monitor all campus and student activity with integrated door access control, video surveillance and mass notification capabilities.

"Colleges, universities and K-12 institutions are seeing an increased need for our campus commerce and security management capabilities," said David Marr, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackboard Transact. "We are excited to provide a platform that delivers a level of proven reliability that is critical to technology leaders focused on meaningful student engagement and improving the student experience." For more information about Blackboard Transact, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/commerce.